Railway time-signal



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RAILWAY TIME SIGNAL.

No. 467,990. Patented Feb. 2, 1892.

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E. PONTAINE. RAILWAY TIME SIGNAL.

No. 467,990 Patented Feb. 2', 1892.

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' 'E. 'FOINTAINE. RAILWAY TIME SIGNAL.

No. 467,990. Patented Feb. 2, 1892.

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Jayme/6 I an/fa 171/6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE FONTAINE, OF AUBURNDALE, OIIIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE FONTAINE SAFETY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

RAILWAY TIME-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 467,990, dated February 2, 1892.

Application filed November 28, 1390. Serial No. 372,953. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EUGENE FONTAINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Auburndale, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention applies to that class of railway-signals the object of which is to prevent two trains from followingeach other too closely by automatically indicating to the succeeding train the time elapsed since the preceding train has passed the signal up to a certain number of minutes, considered as ample time allowance between two trains to be out of dangerous proximity. Signals of this character comprise two kinds of actuating mech anism, a primary actuating mechanism, the object of which is to merely derive a certain force or impulse from the movement of a train in passing the signal, and secondary or transmitting mechanism for utilizing said impulse to operate the indexhand of a clockdial to indicate the time elapsed up to a cer tain number of minutes since the primary force or impulse has been receivedi. 8., since the train has passed.

My invention consists in the improved construction of such secondary or transmitting mechanism and its peculiar combination with a primary actuating mechanism, all as more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings which accompany this specilication, Figure l is a diagrammatic elevation, partly in section, of a railway time-signal embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical section at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detached and enlarged rear elevation of the clock-work forming a part of the secondary actuating mechanism. Fig. :i: is a side elevation of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a top plan thereof. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the friction-clutch forming a part of the clock-work. Fig. 7 is a section on line :0 .1; in Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a detail of construction of parts indicated by letters of reference and more specifically referred to hereinafter. Fig. 9 is an enlarged central section of the lifting-rod Fig. 10 is an enlarged horizontal section of the connection C and Wrist A A represent the two trackrails, and B represents the primary actuating device of the signal, which may be of any suitable description, whereby the wheels of the locomotive or cars in passing over aprescribed spot in the track impart a pull to a connecting bar, chain, or cable 0, such devices being well known to the state of the art for operating switches or signals of all kinds and forming no part of my present invention. For the purpose, however, of explaining the operation of my signal more fully I have shown in Fig. 1 a simple illustration of such a device, in which D is a lever fulcrumed near one rail and having a short end projecting into the path of the wheels of a passing train, while the long end is connected with a dashpot E and with the cable 0 through the medium of a spring-arm F.

The wheels of a train in passing will depress the short end of the lever, and the dashpot will prevent the lever from being actuated more than once by a train in passing, while the spring-arm F prevents the cable G from being pulled too violently. In the practical application of my signal I shall make use, however, preferably, of the device described in Letters Patent No. 438,841, dated October 21, 1890, which I" have specially devised for the purpose.

The secondary or transmitting devices of the signal, which form the subject-matter of this invention, are constructed and arranged as follows:

G is a hollow mast constructed, preferably, of cast-iron or tubing in two sections, the upper section supporting on top of the signal proper and the lower section provided with a base-plate G and at a distance above ground convenient for easy access with an enlargement or box G into the top of which the upper section is secured. To the top of this post is detachably secured the frame G provided with two segmental disks G one in full view to a train approaching in one direction and the other to a train approaching in the opposite direction, and as the time allowance of about twenty minutes is accounted ample to bring two trains succeeding each other out of dangerous proximity the dial is preferably limited to indicate that number of minutes more or less, according to the distance the signalsare placed apart-. These disks are inscribed in large figures andindicated bydivision-marks to be plainly seen and easily read at a distance. Below the dials recesses G are formed in the two opposite faces of the frame G in which the minute-hands H are inclosed to be protected from atmospheric disturbances. These minute-hands areradially secured to bevel-pinions I1 onopposite sides of a central bevel-pinion H with which bothareengaged .to communicate motion in opposite directions to the minute-handsjand weights H are secured to y, the minute-hands on th ir ctual ebevel-p niqns t c n e balamethew ht 9 the te-ba k? e] mi e e ds. and the r wit a in bvnli nsaie. n nt llp'onl base fliii whi h iher ame e? iustably e rdia ,form s a projecting casing over the inclosed .parts-f. Th M869? i d e y st l i P511 .thet 'p ofth p tenil s. ti cover to exclude moisturejfroni the interior the mast. .It'also has a raised central bear- ,in Gifor the bevel-pinion lli through which be rin the rt ca Shaf t hicli d e elfpinion issecured, projects centrally down int .the,..ma hi s af i .coh t mt d itin el ec on .J 'IJ .T pp sect J a -asqn' red nd a eflo i w o responding socket formed in the 'section' J and the upper endpf the 1 0wer secti0n J engages ,withv the middle section 'Jf by neans .ofiaiensin-i in i h a Ic -sp n J t resign. 9.15 whi i a' i i d. 150 l nre'y h m .11 n esd e ii me ll a p a mr fully ereinaftei', 'lhisjoint as constructed in th drawings consists of-apintle J a nd a 'q respbn ingj tep f r e Q he engag- 1 end Qf the se iQ 'SJ J T,v c e y- The, "step islpa tlyfi t. away ai f l l e .Q d,

and'a-pin J 'isjsecured on the pin tle, adap ted to engage with the 'cut-awayportion of the step, ,The coil-sprin g J 3 is secured at one end tohthe, Clamping-collar 1 and at the lother end tothe clamping-collarll q, which are respectively clamped uponthe shaft-sections J ,J ,To the lower end of the section J the bevel-pinion J T is secured and meshes with a bevel-pinion J? on the main shaftK of aclock mechanism. Thisclockmech anism is inclosed in the box 3K7, which is suitably constructed to protect it from atmospheric disturbances 1. and ,from being maliciously tamperedwith. The clocl; mechanism is mounted upon a suitable frame detachably secured within the box and having the main shaft K suitably i rnaledthe to- Thefclock mechanism, may be of anyssuit- .abl'e description adapted to revolve the shaft Kjat asuitable rate of speed for imparting the prescribed movement to the minute-hand of the dial through the connections described. Preferably, however, I construct it as follows:

A suitable clock-spring L is 'securedhp0n the shaft K in the usual manner to cause said shaft to revolve under the control of an es capement. This consists of the screw gearwheel liLmounted upon the shaft K, the screw M on the vertical shaft Ma engaging with said screw gear-wheel, the escape-Wheel M mounted on the upper end of the shaft M 'theescape-lever M having the pallets M engaging with the escape-wheel, having its fulcriim at M, the arm M pivotally secured at M and carrying the pivot M of the escapelever, the adjoining screw-nuts M and the screw M for adjustably holding the free end of the arm Mzthe segmental rack M formed on the freeend of the escape lver M the horizontal ba lance-wheel"M mounted (in a "engaging with the segmentahra'ck M 1 The Lr'an'smi t'a snmn'aineuntorpressurr dm the to tliefp allets oftheescape-l'evei, so as to produce ir 't'he escapem'en't the'well lino'wn p ulsative movement/"of watch '01- clock escapernent, which inlike manner'contrblsthe uhwinding of the spring, andthereby causes the shaft K to revolve in a proper ratifo'pf speed required v for the niin'ut-e ha'nd"ofthe dial. By means of the adjusting-nutsM 'the pallets of the escape lever maybecau's'ed toen'gage, more or le'ss deeply into' 'thees- 'capewheel, and thereby afford "means" to make the pulsations shorter or longer-to regulate the movement to keep proper time; If

desired, however, the {ham ers-wager maybe providedwith the usual balan'c'e springdhe adjustmentof which, as in ordinary time movements is made use of to regulafefthe movement tol'r'ee p proper time; "I consider,

however, my construction preferable for' 'the purposef" The screwgar wheel 'isf revolved by thes'haft 'Kguirdugirthe mediuln "er a clutch which I preferably construct ass o'wu in Fig. 6, and in which N is anfannul'ar'hub secured toor fo rinedon't-hescrew gear-wheel Within this is fitted'a, loose fric'tiOn ring N,,w'hich is severedat- 'one: point" toform a small opening N 'into which the wedge- .shaped end of a dog Niengages. The dogN is hinged to the member N wh icli is'fast upon the shaft K, and is adapted'to engage on a stud N on the friction ring." By'this con struction it will be seen that ifthe, shaft K revolves in the direction of the arrow inFig.

6, asit does by th eunwinding of the spring,

' windingthe spring, the dog will sufficiently withdraw from the opening N to allowthe ring to become loose within menus and be carried freely around by the engagement of the fast member N on the stud N By a partial severing of the ring at N diametrically opposite to the severed place N the ring will readily expand and contract when the wedgeshaped dog is respectively forced into or withdrawn from the small opening N between the severed ends of the friction-ring, to keep it engaged within the hub. Guards N are detachably secured to the gear-wheel M.

O is a gear-wheel or segment of a gearwheel secured upon the shaft K and engaging with a vertical rack-bar P, slidingly secured in a longitudinal slot of the vertical guidepost Q. This post is preferably made round and is adj ustablysecured in a vertical bearing Q, formed on the clock-frame. Its lower portion is provided with a vertical slot Q which registers with the guide-slot in which the rack-bar is inclosed, and its upper end is cut away sufficiently toward the side of the gear-wheel O to prevent its interfering with the free engagement of the gear-wheel an rack-bar.

Below the clock mechanism is pivotally secured at one end the lifting-lever R, the free end of which projects loosely into the slot Q of the guide-post underneath the rack-bar P.

S is a lifting-rod pivotally secured at its upper end to the lever B and at its lower end to one arm of a bell-crank lever T. The lifting-rod is made adjustable in length, preferably as shown in the drawings, wherein it supports at its upper end a screw-threaded extension piece S, loosely engaging in a socket formed therein, and by means of adjusting-nuts upon the extension-piece the normal position of the lifting-lever R is adjusted vertically.

The bell-crank lever T is inclosed in a housing U, which is secured to the under side of the flanged foot of the mast in a space provided between two sleepers V, upon which the mast is supported. The bell-crank lever is pivotally secured between the walls on the top of the housing, and its downwardly-projecting arm is provided with a wrist W, pivotally connected thereto. To this wrist one end of the cable 0 is secured through the medium of a suitable connection 0, so that the slack in the cable may be taken up when required. A suitable stop Z may be placed be hind the bell-crank to hold it in normal position. The cable is inclosed in a pipe W, one end of which is secured to the housing Uand the other end to'a housing Y, which incloses the primary actuating device.

In practice, the parts being constructed and arranged as shown and described, the device is intended to operate as follows: The pull imparted to the cable 0 through the primary actuating device by the wheels of a locomotive or train of cars, which in passing must depress the shortend of the lever D, is directly transmitted through the cable to the.

bell-crank T and through the connecting-rod S to the lever R. The lever R in its upward movement pushes up the rack-bar P, and thereby causes the gear-wheel O to revolve and wind up the spring the necessary amount for making the clock-work go the twenty minutes more or less for which it has to operate. During such winding the clutch will disconnect the shaft K from the escapement. Simultaneously with the winding of the spring the bevel gear-wheel J revolving with the shaft K, imparts motion to the bevel gearwheel J shaft J J J, and bevel gear-wheel H H H, thereby causing the minute-hands H to be set from their advanced position to zero. \Vhen the parts are actuated in this manner, the spring J 3 transmits by its tension the motion from the shaft-section J to the section J, at least to the limit of the loose joint, and thus the motion is eased and no breakage or damage to the parts can result. As the spring L on the shaft K resists with its power the turning of the shaft, it will have the effect of a butter-spring to prevent destructive results from the impulse, which, when derived from the wheels of a fast-going train, naturally must be more or less in the nature of a blow. As the primary actuating device returns to its normal position as soon as the train has passed, the lever R will simultaneously drop back and the spring L becomes free to react. This throws the clutch mechanism immediately into gear, and the unwinding of the spring can now take place under the control of the escapement, which, being constructed to produce the required ratio of speed, will impart the proper travel to the minute-hands. It will be observed that as the shaft K is now revolving in an opposite direction the two sections J J are now in positive engagement with each other and no lost motion can take place. While the hands are advancing on the dials, the rack-bar P will gradually drop back, and when the hands indicate twenty minutes, further movement will be stopped by thcimpingement of the lower end of the rack-bar against the lever R, or it may be stopped, if desired, by the action of any other suitable stop in the mechanism, such as by a stop 0' on the gear-wheel O striking against the frame. If another train passes the signal before the full-time indication, the operation is the same as before-that is, the minute-hands will be set back to zero and then resume their travel. It is obvious that in such a case, the rack P not having fully dropped back to its normal position, the spring will only be wound the amount it has lost, so no overwinding can take place.

It is obvious that instead of a clock-spring a suitable weight may be used; also, instead of two hands and dials but one hand and dial may be used. It is evident, however, that in the latter arrangement it would have to face parallel to the track, or else it would be restricted to indicate only for trains going one way.

It will be seen that my clock mechanism differs from other clock mechanisms in that the time-indication is derived directly from the winding-shaft, so that the winding also carries the hands back to an initial position.

Furthermore, this action is entirely aeeom plished by the mechanical transmission of the initial impulse from the passage of the- I am aware that time-sign als embodying th eIemen-tsof; my invention have been, known to, the state of the art heretofore, and theonedea scri-bedin: Letters Patent No. 413,825, October 29, 1889;, which hasbeen granted to me hereto; fore, embodies a clock mechanism of similar natureto theone I have herein described but I; have found by longpractical experimentsthat th emechanicalconstruction of thevarious de:

tailszrequires much inventiye skill toniakea Thus. I. h veo nd that nly y p ti me h ani al,

deviceof this; kind a practicalsuocess.

transmis n;beg nn ng t; th ai o t n nat ro e o t th tir m chan sm o. u

t e sis-. r e ve po ve i pu s rom a slew-goingfreightetraini or from-an express moving, perhaps, at a rate of sixty milesan hour, the impulse from which is almost instantaneous. and liable to destroy any mechanismdevised for indicating-time. difliculty bymaking the: connection between theshaftKof the clockmechanism and the minlltQ-rhflflldS in suclra. manner that while this con nection is absolutely positive when indicating thertimeit istlexible when it transmits the di-.

rectimpuls'e which sets thehandsto-zero. The various details-of construction have also their peculiaradvantages in this respect; Thus the. 3

' destructiveresults from a, violentipull transmitted by a fast-moving train.

The outdoor conditions under which the signal has to operatemake it also-imperative to-safely protect all; the mechanism from, elimatic atmospheric influences, as well as against malicious tampering, and afford at; the same time ready access to examine and adjust, if necessar any part which need be. This protection is afiorded by my construction and ample provisions are made for readily adjusting any part without dismounting the signal. The connections between the primary device and the shaft K cannot be. affected injuriously by any variations of temperature, and the sliding connection between the shafts J and J takes up all expansion or contraction in the other parts liable to be affected.

\V'hat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a railway time-signal, the combination, with a primary actuating device oper- V ndex-handis it possible to-insurereliable indieatieng bu-tthe. difficul-t-y is to carrythis. ou-tse that it-wil-l make n-odifference whether c me t is;

ed y apassi g t ain, o transmit ng-mech- Jani'sm comprising a cloek-worlrwitlr dial indication anda positive mechanical;connection 1 between thewinding-shaft of saidclock mech- Lanism and the primary-actuating device and between thesaid wind ing-shaftandtheindigcating-hand on thedial for winding the clock ,-meehanism.and setting the indicating-hand *bythedirect transmission of the initial impulse; from a passing train, substantially as, described.

2; The combination, witlrtheprimary actuj ating-device of a rai-lway signal, of indicating @clock; mechanism having its winding-shaft connected to said primary devicefor winding 1 it by a direct impulse therefrom and having Ea dial indication, the index-hand; of which, is moved in. either direction by intermediate i'cOnnection with the windingshaft, said intermediate connection being arranged tooperate the hand positively by the movement of the v eloekmechanism. and: yieldingly in the-oppositev direction, substantially as described,

3. The-combination, with the. cloclc mechanism; f o-roperating the index-hand of the dial, of the gear-wheel-O, on the winding-shaft ofsaid clock mechanism, the rack-bar 1?, secured in vertical guidebearings, the liftinglever-fladapted to operate said rack-bar, the. lifting-bar S, the bell-crank lever T, hav i;ng. onearrn connected to said bar, and the.cable, 0, connecting the other arm of. said belll crank; with the. primary device,substantially 1 as described.

4. The combination, with the clockmech-f anism for operating the index-hand of thedial,

of the gear-wheel O- on, the Winding-shaft; of

said clockmeehanisnn-ihev rack-bar P, eu=gag.-, 'ingtherewith, the vertical guide Q, in which lsaid rack-bar is guided, the lifting-lever R, f engaging into a vertical slot of the guide Q-to operate, saidraelebanthe vertical lifting-bar J'S, adapted to lift said lever, having the ex jtensions, S adj-ustably supported; thereon,

having one arm connected to said bar, the cable C, connecting the other armof said bellj crank lever withthe actuating'primary device .,of the signal, and a device for adjusting the length of said cable, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the actuatingcloek mechanism of the signal, of the gearwheel 0, secured upon thewinding-shaft of said clock mechanism, the vertical rack-bar P, engaging with said gear-wheel,the vertically-adjustable post Q, provided with vertical guide groove-in which said rack-bar is' held, the lifting-lever R, guided in a vertical slot Q in the post, the ad-justably-jointed lifting-bar S, actuating the lifting-lever, the bell-crank lever'T, having one end connected actuating device of the signal, substantially as described. a

6. In a railway time-signal, a clock mechanism adapted to operate the index-hand of a dial in either direction by the movement of the winding-shaft through a direct connection between the index-hand and said winding-shaft, said connection being adapted to rigidly connect the two in the movement of unwinding and yieldingly connect the two in the movement of winding, substantially as described.

7. In a railway time-signal, a clock mechanism adapted to operate the index-hand of a dial in either direction by the movement of the winding-shaft through intermediate gearing between the index-hand and said Windin g-shaft, said gearing having a flexible shaft connection consisting of the shaft-sections J J a lost-motion connection between the same, and a tension-spring J connecting the two shaft-sections to take up the 10st motion between the same in one direction and form a limited flexible connection in the opposite direction of the movement of said shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE FONTAINE. \Vitnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, N. M. IIULBERT. 

